Solid Ground?

Reputation and Character

"The circumstances amid which you live determine your reputation; the truth you believe determines your character. 

Reputation is what you are suppose to be; character is what you are.

Reputation is the photograph; character is the face.
Reputation comes over one from without; character grows from within.
Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; character is what you have when you go away.

Your reputation is learned in an hour; your character does not come to light for a year.

Reputation is made in a moment; character is built in a lifetime.

Reputation grows like a mushroom; character grows like the oak.

A single newspaper report gives you your reputation; a life of toil gives you your character.

Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; character makes you happy or makes you miserable.

Reputation is what men say about you on your tombstone; character is what angels say about you before God."

- William Hersey Davis

Wonder where you stand?
If so, worry about you reputation little, but constantly assess your character!

Grounded by Eyjafjallaokull

As many of you know in April and early May, there were hundreds of travelers grounded because of volcanic eruptions in Iceland.

Those eruptions were from the volcano Eyjafallaajokull. They were small in size, by volcanic eruption standards...but yet they were monumental in the trouble they caused for air travel to, fro, and within Europe, creating the highest level of disruption since the Second World War.

Here is a shot of the Northern Lights seen above the ash plume of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano in the evening April 22, 2010.

Absolutly amazing huh!

Let this photo cause us to be grounded in the knowledge of how absolutly amazing out Lord and Creator is!

Thanks be to His Son!

Happy Wednesday to all!

Captured.

Yesterday, I had a bit of free time. I decided to spend that time catching up with the ole' kayak! It was good and very nice...relaxing as always. I took Jabe along with me, so that made it an adventure for sure. :)

It's always such a deep breath of calming silence to be outside in God's creation! I find it so interesting how easily we forget that.

Just yesterday, I was out on the water in awe of our Creator, and His great Gift, and the Grace that He has given me through Him. Just yesterday, I was SO struck by the soft warmth of the sun, the gentle touch of the Oklahoma breeze, the many pieces of cotton riding on those gusts...and the overall magnificence of all that He has created and placed around us. Yet even as it was so recent that He has captured me with these awe-inspiring things, I have already forgotten so much.

If I were to return today...I would yet again be left saying, 'I forgot just how beautiful His creation was', 'I forgot just how fully His forgiveness is given', 'I forgot just how much love He has for me'.

Absolutely crazy!

I am unable to comprehend Him. Even when I begin to have a greater depth of understanding, if I were to try to commit that understanding to memory...then recall it tomorrow, (just like my memories of His grand creation) I would be so far from true understanding...so far from the reality that really He is.

The coolest thing about it all.

If I allow myself time in His creation, I will again be captured once again by it's beauty, I will once again be at a level of understanding that I am unable to place words to what I see...I will be taken aback, I will breathe deep...

Likewise,
If I allow myself time with Him, I will again be captured once again by His grace, love, forgiveness, beauty. I will once again be at a level of understanding that I am unable to place words to what I see, feel, understand...I will be taken aback, I will breathe deep...CAPTURED BY HIM!

Please take the time to know Him.

Beautiful Things

God. Thank you for all the things you have blessed me with...

Family.

Friends.

The ability to meet with You...

 

The abilty to run...

Your creation.

Goofy-ness...

The list goes on...
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.

To the Boys of God

To the Boys of America

"Of course what we have a right to expect from the American boy is that he shall turn out to be a good American man. Now the chances are strong that he wouldn't be much of a man unless he is a good deal of a boy. He must not be a coward or a weakling, a bully, a shirk or a prig. He must work hard and play hard. He must be clean-minded and clean-lived, and able to hold his own under all circumstances and against all comers. It is only on these conditions that he will grow into the kind of man whom Americans can really be proud."

Theodore Roosevelt

"he wouldn't be much of a man unless he is a good deal of a boy"...If a man plans to be a man tomorrow, he had better be a man today. If we go through this life believing that tomorrow will be the day of change, the day of growth, the day of a new you; we will surely always be the same. To be a good man of God, I had better be a good boy (young believer) of God. I must battle against my flesh. I must strive to be clean-minded and clean-lived. I must be courageous and have full trust that my Father will bring me through all things. I must work hard, diligently working to correctly represent my King.

I will fail. I will fall. But with Him beside me, guiding me all the days of life; with Him within me, continuing this work He has begun...I will become this man.

Oh to be a man of whom my Lord can really be proud!

Men...men will be boys...

Boys...boys will become men...

are you a good deal of a boy?

Psalm 121

Some days things just seem to be tougher than others...
sometimes it just seems difficult to not be bitter...or a little jaded...
I am not a negative person and really even when I am feeling bitter and choosing my attitude takes a bit more effort than what i find usual, I still seem to be positive.

Today, I am just tired.

People. Why is it so difficult for you to be honest? Why is it so tough for you to be loyal? Why don't you even try?




"I lift up my eyes to the hills,
from where doe my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Isreal
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade on you right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth andforevermore."

Lord thank you!



Like I have posted before, I am unbalanced when I do not have my day set by and directed by my King. When you have days like this you are probably unbalanced also...try talking to God!




On a closing note,

To you that is so important to me: Thank you for looking for my leaf...and for standing at my side.